Review Summary: Being an adult sucks, here's 12 songs why my man.
I've put off writing this album for a good while now. I honestly feel as if my words alone cannot possibly do this record any justice. Its perfect, I can relate it to my life so well. Each song is a story about how life has grown so cold, things suck here and there, and life just isn't what any of us expected it to be. Compared to the last album it really seems like the band actually tried to make this album very meaningful and deep and in my opinion they succeeded.
The album itself kicks off with a catchy little number called "Au Revoir" and its a goofy little song but its catchy. Most of the songs on this album are in fact quite melancholy. The first song is about leaving someone and just having a bad taste in your mouth through it all but you wouldn't think so upon first listening. A lot of the songs on the album itself have been unfortunately overplayed to hell and absorbed by the masses of teenage girls and pop punk rockers. The songs such as "Twin Sized Mattress and Peach" but that doesn't mean you should enjoy this album any less. Each of these songs have a deep little message and are all relatable to the point where you can project yourself into these songs. An album that kicks off with a catchy song can immediately captivate a huge crowd. It important for a band to give you a taste of what they have offer, I think "The Front Bottoms" really nailed it with this one. Growing up, I figured things would be a lot easier. Everything would more so stay the same. Feelings would remain, and nothing could really change that. But through all the changes it just became harder and harder to deal with things. There would be moments where I became so self aware that it really made my heart race and I did not know what to do from there. But upon listening to these tracks, I felt in a sense that I wasn't quite so alone. I had somebody to relate to. With songs like "Santa Monica" which is about being an "emotional man" and wanting to party but some things hold you back but you push yourself to have fun with the people you care about such as your partner. Its hard to have someone else in your life when you yourself have so many problems. But you have other songs that take a lighter side such as "Skeleton" which your less than typical stoner song. The album itself tries to keep its seriousness to a minimum and I believe that is truly because the members don't know how to be 100% completely serious. The words are in the right places but the voices and music behind them don't quite match up, but I really think that just adds to the overall charm this album has.
I figured I should at least address the two most well known songs off this album. There really isn't anything wrong with them except for the fact that they've become every single angsty teenagers theme song. But enough of that, lets enjoy the songs for what they are worth. "Twin Sized Mattress" is an odd song because I can put myself into the whole songs story, and I can see both genders perspectives in terms of the friend position that its lamenting about. Its a very versatile song that really hits home for me. Its sweet, its dark, its rough around the edges. It is a very rare occurrence that a song can come off as flawless, and in this album this song is in fact flawless. The lines "You stopped by my house the night you escaped, with tears in my eyes I begged you to stay, you said hey man I love you but no ***ing way". It gives me chills every time. Its a good kind of chill that I really try to enjoy, it paints such a vivid image in my head that makes me happy and torn apart at the same time. One of the best songs that "The Front Bottoms" have ever done. The other song being "Peach" is about a girl, plain and simple. But it goes on about the cute things. Its a lot of mush that I cannot help being attracted to. It opens with a sincere enough with "You are my peach, you are my plum" and its that cute little puppy dog love that makes me happy and gives me hope for those out there searching. Its a good song, but its one of those songs you send to your girlfriend when you're feeling a little passionate, just to be goofy and let her know you care about her.
This album has a lot dealing with growing up such as abortion which comes right out of nowhere. Along with dealing with ex partners and their new partners, regrets, friendships, and relationships itself. The flow of the album itself is something I really have to commend itself, it really has the high parts and low parts all done really well. "Santa Monica" is a slower paced song but as soon as it ends the fast paced song "The Feud" comes out swinging. Its a little goofy at times, but that beat is so powerful and catchy you'll find yourself humming to it a lot. "Backflip" is also the other really good one. It starts off by thinking about regretting a tattoo, but you don't have time to think about that because you're with your friends and you just want to say *** it and have a good time. The song more importantly is about dealing with yourself and learning how to do that. Just keep breathing in and telling yourself that what you do is not wrong, and that one day you will figure all of this out and wonder what you even worrying about in the first place. It is the quintessential song of growing up. This is the album you needed back when you were a teenager but would have been better off if you waited to you were actually going through legit things. The songs are so relatable and personal it just becomes a phenomenon. I find myself re listening to this album many many times. The songs are all so catchy and fine tuned. I put off listening to this album when it first came out and I wholeheartedly regret that. This album has slowly become one of my favorites and its a record that I would gladly spin any day.
Do yourself a favor and listen to this one, if you have already heard it give it another listen. For me my favorite songs would cycle back and forth the more I listened through the album. Its a great album about the tough mess that we are all thrown into upon growing up. But some catchy chords and beats and you soon become informed that you are not alone, the answers are still there, the questions themselves have just become a little harder to figure out.
Just wanted to see some good vibes in here!
